Double-grade grain-cleaner



(No Model.)

A. J. & H. W. OLELAND.

DOUBLE GRADE GRAIN CLEANER.

No. 594,459. Patented Nov. 30, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' ANDREW JrOLELAND' AND HERBERT W. OLELAND, OF MANKATO,

MINNESOTA.

DOUBLE-GRADE GRAIN-CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,459, dated November 30, 1897. Application filed. April 15, 1895; Serial No. 545,757. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ANDREW J. CLELAND and HERBERT W. OLELAND, citizens-of the United States, residing at Mankato, in the county of Blue Earth and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grain-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in double-grade grain-cleaners; and the objects of our improvement are a longitudinal reciprocating motion to the shoes and working adversely to each other, thereby causing the machine to run lighter and avoiding the usual swaying motion of the machine when in operation; also, a convenient method of changing the machine from a single to a double grade cleaner; also of changing the quality of the grades while the machine is in operation.

We attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section and side elevation of entire machine. Fig. 2 is a detailed view in perspective of the lower shoe, in which the screens are placed for cleaning grain, showing longitudinal slots for inserting springs for holding upper or grade screen in place and spout for discharging a grade of the grain when the machine is set for double-grade work. Fig. 3 is a View in perspective of upper or grade screen, showing series of countersinks or corrugations in the outside of the screen-bars for receiving the springs which pass through the slots in the walls of the lower shoe and hold the screen in any desired position. Fig. 4 is a spring and is so shaped that it will project through the slots in the walls of the lower shoe and engage countersinksin grade-screen and so shaped at its end that it will easily slide in or out of the countersinks when screen is pushed up or down in the cleaner. Fig. 5 is a View of spring-lever for opening and closing trap in lower shoe. Fig. 6 is a detailed view of vibrating bar provided with stubs on the inner face for attaching to upper and lower shoes, also stubs onthe outside for attaching parallel rods or pitmen which connect to crank-pinions on fan-shaft, thereby giving the upperand lower shoes a longitudinal reciprocating motion.

. Similar letters refer to similarparts throughout the different views.

The hopper sides A A, cylinder sides B B,

standard 0 G, and cross-braces D D constitute to the frame of the machine by means of vibrating bars G G and hangers g g. The vibrating bars are attached to upper and lower shoes by means of stubs c e inserted into holes bored in side of shoes. The vibrating bars are also pivoted to side of machine by means of flanged thimble 0", which is inserted through vibrating bar midway between stubs e e. The two stubs f f on outside of vibrating bar being an equal distance from the pivotal point of bar enables the operator to give a greater or less vibration to the shoes, as may be desired in cleaning, by changing pitmen from one to the other.

The upper and lower shoes are inclined adversely to each other, the lower or tail end of upper shoe nearly meeting the upper or feed end of lower shoe. By this means as the grain falls from the upper to the lower shoe through the wind-b1ast the chaff and dirt are drifted outof cleaner into the tailings, and also by the action of the wind the light and defective grain is drifted farther out upon the lower shoe, while the sound and heavy grains, which are only fit for seed, fall nearly perpendicular in the wind-blast. In the lower shoe is placed our grading device for separating the heavy sound grain for seed and also for separating the different kinds of grain while the cleaner is in operation, which we will now describe. In the bottom of the lower 5 shoe is placed a stationary screen which discharges the grain running over it into spoutv ICO thereby taking more or less of heai y and sound grain for seed, and by the action of the wind the light and defective grains are separated and drifted over to the lower or stationary screen. To make a separation of these grades running over these screens, spout m is attached to bottom of lower shoe. Over this spout is hinged trap n, which is raised or closed by means of spring-lever 0 and catch hen this trap is raised, the grain running over the lower screen is discharged through the spout, and when trap is closed the grain running over both the lower and grade screens is discharged together into one receptacle.

For the purpose of making our gradescreens adjustable there are cut through the walls of the lower shoe at its lower end longitudinal slotsjjflnto which are inserted springs 70 it, which are firmly fastened to outer face' of the shoe and so shaped at the ends that they will pass through the sides of the shoe and engage countersinks Z Z in outer faces of the bars of the grading-screen b and easily slide in or out of the corrugations or countersinks as the screen is pushed up or down.

By the foregoing description it will be readily understood that with the combination of the longitudinal slots j j, the springs 76 70, and the countersinks Z Z in the grade-screen it can be instantly adjusted while the cleaner is in operation, which is a great improvement in cleaning seed-grain, as the stopping and starting of the cleaner to adjust it has a very injurious effect upon the quality of the grain being cleaned. By means of spout m, trap '12, and spring-lever 0 and catch 19 the cleaner can also be instantly changed from a single to a double grade cleaner while in operation.

We are aware that traps and spout-s are old devices; also reciprocating motion to shoes has been used in cleaners. We therefore do not claim such a combination broadly; but

What we do claim as our intention, and (lesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the lower shoe E, having slots j j, through its lateral walls, the grade-screen 1), form ed with one or more countersinks or corrugations in the outer surface of its side bars and the springs 70, secured to the outer faces of the walls of the shoe, and

ANDREVV J. CLELAND. HERBERT \V. CLELAND.

\Vitnesses:

XV. G. I-IoERR, H. E. SWAN. 

